


For Everything

by Hustling_Rube93



Series: Stay [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Lesbian Sex, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:40:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22245736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hustling_Rube93/pseuds/Hustling_Rube93
Summary: She didn’t know what had possessed her to accompany Andromeda to pick up Teddy today. The last time she had been in this wretched place she’d sworn she would never set foot back in it ever again. Yet here she was, in the very house where the root cause of all her childhood trauma once resided.Walburga Black.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Bellatrix Black Lestrange
Series: Stay [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1574908
Comments: 9
Kudos: 250





	For Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the ‘Stay’ verse. I own nothing. All mistakes are my own. Enjoy!

Bellatrix stepped out of the Floo into the kitchen of number 12 Grimmauld Place and immediately felt a wave of nausea overcome her. 

She didn’t know what had possessed her to accompany Andromeda to pick up Teddy today. The last time she had been in this wretched place she’d sworn she would never set foot back in it ever again. Yet here she was, in the very house where the root cause of all her childhood trauma once resided.

Walburga Black. 

Her deranged aunt not only mentally, but physically, abused her and her sisters as children. Her cousins too. It was a house of horrors that still sometimes plagued her nightmares. And she knew immediately after stepping foot inside that sleep would be a long time in coming that night. 

Sometimes she couldn’t quite believe that the war was over. Most days were hard enough trying to come to terms with the horrors she had seen and the awful things she had done, but even though Walburga Black had snuffed it years ago, nothing would ever be as traumatising as this house and the secrets it hid. 

When she was a little girl, the only thing she had ever liked about Grimmauld Place was when it was time to leave. 

And Kreacher. 

Kreacher was alright. 

The kitchen was brighter than it used to be, and much cleaner too, but otherwise remained the same as she always remembered. It was a large and cavernous room, but the long wooden table taking up most of the cluttered space and lack of windows in the basement room made Bellatrix feel claustrophobic.

She took a deep breath and shook her head. 

Pull yourself together, love.

But her feet seemed to move of their own accord and she took a few steps backwards. She bumped into the sideboard and startled, like she wasn’t expecting it to be there. And suddenly her ears were buzzing as if someone had cast a Muffliato charm, her pulse quickened, and her heart started hammering so hard and fast against her ribcage that it made her feel physically sick. 

Bellatrix recognised the faint terrifying stirrings of a panic attack. It was something she hadn’t suffered since she was a child, but for some reason it felt all the more frightening as an adult. 

Then her eye caught the door to the cupboard that housed the boiler and that was all it took to snap Bellatrix’s thin coil of restraint. 

The memories she thought she had buried long ago suddenly sprang to the forefront of her mind. Angry, abusive voices. The worried faces of two little girls looking down at her - one with wide, brown eyes full of concern, the other a grey-blue and swimming with tears. Her vision blurred and she squeezed her eyes tight, then her hand shot out blindly to grab something, anything, because she thought her knees might buckle any second. 

She recalled with sudden alarming clarity the sound Walburga Black’s palm made when it cracked across her face. Crying wasn’t allowed. If she cried her aunt would give her something to cry about. If she cried her aunt would belt her. If she cried her aunt would lock her in the boiler cupboard so she didn’t have to listen to her. 

If she was lucky her aunt would throw one or both of her sisters in there with her, often because they had did something on purpose so they could join her, because at least then she had someone to hold and share the darkness with. 

It was all too much. Her breathing came fast and ragged. Her hands trembled. And then just as quickly as it appeared, the fear subsided once more, and she realised that someone was talking to her. 

Slowly she turned her head to stare into the same wide, concerned eyes she had seen in her head and noticed that it was her sister’s arm that she had grabbed in her desperate attempt to anchor herself to something.

“Are you alright?” Andromeda asked softly. “I lost you for a moment there.”

“The boiler...” Bellatrix murmured, breathing harshly though her nose. 

“I know, I know. I’m sorry, Bella.” Andromeda’s eyebrows drew together in a worried frown and Bellatrix could tell that her sister was silently berating herself. “I didn’t think. We should have come in the front. Are you really alright?”

“M’fine,” Bellatrix nodded, but even to her own ears it sounded false. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Bellatrix swiped quickly at her eyes. “I’m fine. I can’t stay here, I need to leave, I need to—“

“No, no. Stay, Bella. Please,” Andromeda pleaded. “You can do this. She’s long gone. It’s just a house. We’re safe here.”

Bellatrix didn’t look convinced. 

“I promise it won’t be as bad as you think.”

Bellatrix shook her head but found herself saying, “Ok.”

“You’ll be fine,” Andromeda reassured and promptly pried her arm out of Bellatrix’s vice like grip when she realised they had an audience. 

Harry Potter stared at them from the door at the top of the stairs and Bellatrix felt herself stiffen. 

Salazar, how humiliating. 

At least Potter had the good sense to act nonchalant and pretend that he hadn’t just walked in on Bellatrix having a meltdown over a bloody cupboard. 

If only he knew the half of it. 

“Andy. Bellatrix,” he greeted. Green eyes flickered between them both hesitantly, then he said, “Come on up, Kreacher’s made us tea.”

“This is just a flying visit, Potter—“ Bellatrix started to say. 

“Nonsense,” Andromeda said quickly, and gave Bellatrix an encouraging look. “I’m gasping for a brew. Harry can tell us all about Teddy’s first sleepover.”

Harry took this as approval, even if it didn’t come from Bellatrix herself, and beckoned then up the stairs. “Great! I put him down for a sleep about fifteen minutes ago, so we can have a gab before he wakes up and causes chaos again. Come in, come in.”

Reluctantly, Bellatrix trudged up the kitchen stairs leading to the hallway but Andromeda stopped her with a gentle hand on the small of her back. 

“Tea,” Andromeda said softly. “Tea is just what you need.”

Bellatrix looked at her and muttered, “Tea doesn’t fix everything, Andy.”

Andromeda squeezed her hand, “I know, but a nice cuppa will help you relax. Trust me, love.”

Bellatrix sighed. 

In times of crisis, Andromeda believed anything could be solved with a cup of tea. She swore by it. Bellatrix was inclined to believe her, to an extent at least, but on this occasion, she didn’t think a brew was going to take away the awful, nightmarish feeling that had settled in her gut.

She hoped it was the quickest bloody cup of tea in existence. 

* * *

“We’ll sit in here,” Harry told them as he ushered them down the long hall and into the room that had once been the drawing room. 

“Four cups?” Bellatrix asked when she noticed the full tea service laid out on the coffee table for them. “Kreacher finally gone round the bend?”

“Oh, that one’s for me,” a familiar voice said and Bellatrix’s head snapped round so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. 

There, sitting on the sofa next to the window, a sleeping Teddy sprawled on the armchair next to her, with a book in her hand, and the brightest smile Bellatrix had ever seen, was Hermione Granger. 

Bellatrix looked at her and immediately regretted it. She felt her heart stutter in her chest and she knew this time it had nothing to do with the house she was standing in. The instant amber met dark brown, the air around them felt heavy and a static crackled through Bellatrix’s chest that only seemed to appear whenever she was close to Hermione. There was something so disarming about seeing her there, but Bellatrix still felt drawn to her with the same kind of heady trance that brought a butterfly to nectar. 

It was intoxicating and Bellatrix swallowed thickly. 

“Hello, Bella,” Hermione smiled and lay her book aside, cheeks glowing with a faint rose blush. 

But Bellatrix recovered quickly and inclined her head. “Granger.”

Granger.

Always Granger.

Except that one, ‘Oh, fuck, Hermione!’ Bellatrix could vaguely recall, gasped between ragged breaths as the younger witch worked magic between her thighs. 

Salazar! 

Bellatrix felt her stomach twist into a delicious knot at the very thought. Walburga Black and boiler cupboards forgotten in a heartbeat and she blew out a breath. 

Simmer down, old girl. 

“Oh, Hermione,” Andromeda exclaimed, sounding relieved and not in the least bit surprised to see her as she brushed past Bellatrix to pull the younger witch into a hug. Hermione leapt up from the couch and returned the embrace. “It’s so nice to see you, love!” she said, then quieter, “I’m glad you made it.”

Bellatrix felt her eyebrows shoot up higher than she ever thought they could go. Interesting. “I didn’t realise you’d be here, Granger,” she said, trying not to sound too pleased to see her even though her belly was doing flip-flops. 

Andromeda turned to her and smiled impishly. “Oh, I forgot to tell you Hermione was coming.”

“Mm, I bet,” Bellatrix hummed, unconvinced, and her eyes narrowed. She tried to gauge her sisters response. Somehow it didn’t seem like coincidence that Hermione was there, even more so because Bellatrix knew she had been busy the last few weeks. 

“‘Mione’s finally decided to grace us all with her presence again,” Harry laughed, and gestured for them all to sit down and help themselves to tea. 

“Are your parents all settled in now?” Andromeda asked, making a point of sitting next to the younger witch so Bellatrix had no other choice but to take the only other spot next to Harry, directly opposite Hermione. 

“Just about, they said it might take a while to get used to the weather again,” Hermione laughed. “But they’re glad to be home.”

“Good,” Andromeda smiled, pleased, and flicked a quick, knowing gaze at Bellatrix. “Does that mean we’ll be seeing you for tea next week? We’ve missed you.”

Hermione’s honeyed gaze flickered briefly to the dark witch opposite her and her blush increased tenfold. “Definitely. I’ve missed you too.”

Bellatrix let out a puff of air she didn’t realise she’d been holding and began tugging at a stray curl that had fallen loose from her messy bun. 

Hermione smiled pleasantly, seemingly oblivious to the hold she held over Bellatrix, and asked, “How have you been, Bella?” 

“Long time no see, Granger,” Bellatrix said, calmly deflecting the question and casting a suspicious sidelong glance at her sister, who had suddenly become very interested in the biscuits Kreacher had left for them on the tea tray.

“Ginger Newt’s, Bella. You’re favourite.”

Hermione ducked her head a little to hide her smile and busied herself with spooning sugar into a tea cup. “Yes, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

It had been just over a fortnight since they’d seen each other last. Well, actually, that wasn’t entirely true. It had been just over a fortnight since they’d had sex. 

They’d seen each other four nights ago when Bellatrix had agreed to watch Teddy while Andromeda worked late and Hermione dropped by to give her a fish supper and a quick snog before whisking herself back to her parents house before they noticed she was gone. 

At that moment, Bellatrix couldn’t decide how she felt about Hermione being there - happy to see her, of course, her distraction from her surroundings welcome, but full of irritation because Hermione’s very presence had her feeling more hot and bothered than she’d felt in a very long time. There was a dark warmth coiling in the pit of her stomach as the words ‘I missed you too’ and the memory of the last time slender fingers left a blazing trail over her skin spiralled through her mind. 

Any illusions that Bellatrix had about a quick cuppa before heading back to Andromeda’s house were quickly shattered with Hermione’s presence. Now that she really thought about it, Andromeda had seemed quite insistent that they stayed for tea and Bellatrix couldn’t help but wonder if that had been Andromeda’s plan all along. Which meant that she must have known Hermione was coming today. Andromeda must’ve known the girl would be a distraction from this wretched house she found herself in and her devious, yet well meaning, little plan had worked because all Bellatrix could think about was dragging Hermione upstairs to the closest guest room.

She didn’t have much of an appetite for Ginger Newt’s, but she had a sudden craving for something a little sweeter. 

* * *

Bellatrix had always enjoyed tea. Milky as a child, baby tea her father had once called it, so pale it was hardly tea at all. She didn’t like it weak now, now she took it so strong you could probably stand a spoon in it. She wasn’t particularly into green or herbal teas like Andromeda was, though she did enjoy an orange and cranberry flavoured infusion Narcissa had her try at Christmas. 

Bellatrix didn’t know what kind of tea Kreacher had brought them, definitely not the PG Tips she’d become accustomed to at Andromeda’s house, but it had a fresh, sweet fragrance and smelled absolutely divine. She wasn’t sure if it was the tea itself that had calmed her rattled nerves, or the warmth of Hermione’s eyes as they sneaked glances at one another, but Andromeda was right, after the first few sips she really did feel much better. 

But over an hour later when she was on her third cup and her last nerve, she could feel her anxieties starting to encroach on the quiet peace she had found. 

Her leg bounced with nerves as Harry rambled incessantly about Teddy’s first sleepover. And while Bellatrix loved the bones of her little nephew, there was only so long one could be enthused by the antics of a ten month old baby. At some point she zoned out and was barely listening to the chatter around her, nor did she have anything to say to contribute to the conversation, but she was perfectly conscious of the woman sitting across from her. She couldn’t help but notice the way Hermione’s amber eyes crinkled when she laughed, or the way the fine bones in her wrist shifted when she brought her tea cup to her lips. 

She’d lost count of the amount of times she’d caught herself licking her bottom lip and was glad when the conversation steered back to Hermione’s parents and their recent move back to England. 

Bellatrix knew the gist of the story already, it had been a frequent topic of discussion during their weekly catch ups at Andromeda’s house for the last several months. 

Almost immediately after Voldemort’s defeat, Hermione had travelled to Australia and quickly located her parents in Seaholme, a bayside neighbourhood about eight miles outside of Melbourne’s central business district, where they’d been running a small dental practise. Minister Shacklebolt offered the assistance of an Obliviator from the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to help restore the Granger’s memories, but Hermione had kindly refused.

The spell was reversed with little fuss and after she’d calmed her mother’s hysterics, she’d sat her parents down and explained what she’d done, and why, and gave them a brief summery of the war. Hermione had told Bellatrix later that the whole affair had been rather anti-climatic - she’d expected her parents to be upset, horrified even, but they’d just been so glad that Hermione was safe. 

The Granger’s couldn’t leave Melbourne straight away, after all, they had a life there, even if they’d been living it for nearly a year as Monica and Wendell Wilkins. So they’d decided to explore Australia as Jennifer and Richard Granger for a while instead, and put both their house and their practice on the market. Hermione kept in touch and called them regularly from Andromeda’s Muggle telephone, and she visited for a week over Christmas. Then at the beginning of February, when both sales had been finalised, Hermione helped them to move back to their home in Cambridgeshire, which was what she’d been doing for the past two weeks. 

“The move itself was relatively hassle free,” Hermione was telling them. “I just had to contact the Australian Ministry beforehand to let them know I was helping my parents back to the U.K. They even offered to send someone over from their Transportation Department with a Muggle approved Portkey back to London, but Mum and Dad wanted to fly.” Hermione rolled her eyes and took a sip of tea. “Merlin knows why, it was a twenty-one and a half hour flight!”

“Do you blame them?” Harry laughed around a mouthful of Ginger Newt. “Travelling by Portkey’s a bloody nightmare as it is, never mind internationally.”

Andromeda nodded in agreement and said, “I avoid it at all costs, even if it is convenient. Even Apparation doesn’t agree with some folk. I used to get Side-Along sickness when I was pregnant.”

“Yes, but they didn’t know that,” Hermione grinned. “Oh, but Dad was rather impressed when Ron managed to pack the whole house into two suitcases. He made Ron take it all out and pack it back up about five times because he was so amazed by it all.”

They all shared a laugh. 

Except Bellatrix. 

At the mention of Weasley’s name, Bellatrix felt a tight sensation in her chest. Uncomfortable and unsettling, but not unfamiliar. She couldn’t quite place it at first, and it took a few moments for her to come to the realisation that it was the same feeling she’d had nearly thirty years ago when she’d seen Rodolphus drinking butterbeer’s in the Three Broomsticks with some leggy blonde one Hogsmeade weekend. His attempt at pissing her off after she’d declined his marriage proposal for the second time.

Bellatrix mistakenly took a sip of her now lukewarm tea as it suddenly hit her what the unpleasant feeling was, and she barely stopped herself from choking. Andromeda frowned at her in question and Bellatrix looked away. 

Fuck. 

Silly old cow.

She was jealous.

Bellatrix knew fine well that Hermione had ended it with Weasley. In fact, they’d barely even began before they’d realised they were better off as friends and had called it quits after only a few weeks. 

If she wasn’t sitting with present company then she probably would’ve laughed at her own idiotic behaviour. There was absolutely no reason at all for her to feel the way she did. Besides, it wasn’t as if she had any sort of claim over Hermione. She could see other people if she wanted to, though Bellatrix knew for a fact that Hermione hadn’t so much as looked at another person, romantically or otherwise, since they had started sleeping together. And neither had Bellatrix. 

They were...friends. With benefits. That was it.

Wasn’t it?

Bellatrix caught her sister’s eye again and Andromeda gave her a withering look. She looked like she was about to ask her what was wrong when Teddy decided it was finally, mercifully, time to wake up. 

“Well, look who’s finally awake,” Andromeda cooed. 

Teddy squealed in delight the moment his bright blue eyes zeroed in on Bellatrix, and he slid off the armchair, keeping one pudgy first on the coffee table as he toddled towards her. Even if there was a room full of people, Teddy would ignore every single one of them for Bellatrix. 

Bellatrix had been concerned when Teddy turned eight months old and hadn’t started crawling, but Andromeda had assured her that it was normal, that some babies skipped the crawling stage altogether and went straight to walking. Which is exactly what Teddy had done, and now that he was on the move, there was no stopping him. 

He slapped his hand against Bellatrix’s thigh and lifted his arms to be picked up. Bellatrix obliged, rolling her eyes for show, and Teddy stared up at her through long dark lashes and smiled, flashing his baby teeth. He really was the cutest little thing she’d ever laid eyes on. Even Draco hadn’t been this adorable when he was Teddy’s age. 

When Draco was a baby he’d screamed night and day. There wasn’t a single hour in twenty four that hadn’t been marred by his wailing. And he’d had a big head, she’d made the mistake of mentioning that once to Narcissa and was hit with a pus-squirting hex for her trouble. But now he was a fine young man, there was a lot of Black in him, and she was thankful he looked nothing much like Lucius. 

Thank Merlin for small blessings. 

“Hello, poppet,” Bellatrix said softly, and the moment Teddy settled on her lap, he reached up and wrapped a lock of ebony around his sticky fingers. Bellatrix cringed inwardly. She’d learned quickly that her hair was apparently better than any one of his toys and it was always a constant scuffle for possession. Nothing a quick cleansing charm couldn’t fix, but still. 

“Don’t pull, you little monkey!” Bellatrix admonished and Teddy’s mousy brown hair rippled into glossy black curls to match hers. 

“...and Gin absolutely adores him,” Harry was saying, then he grimaced. “I overheard Molly trying to convince her that maybe we should start trying.”

Bellatrix’s jaw tightened and she wondered if this was all they were going to talk about now. She had half a mind to call for Kreacher and ask if there was anything stronger than tea in the cellar. 

Andromeda laughed and said, “I don’t envy you. Molly can be quite, ah, insistent.”

Harry blew out a breath, “You’re telling me! Gin set her straight though.”

Hermione giggled. “Oh, Harry, there’s plenty of time for all that. You’ve barely started your Auror training and—“ 

She cut off when Teddy was suddenly thrust into Harry’s arms and Bellatrix sprang to her feet. Teddy’s little face was screwed up in concentration for a moment then he beamed cheekily at his godfather and his hair turned a shocking shade of teal. 

“Oh...” Hermione’s nose wrinkled and Andromeda laughed again. 

“What the bloody hell have you been feeding him, Potter?” Bellatrix demanded. “Change him immediately.”

Harry shot her a challenging look and held Teddy out to her. He nodded at Teddy’s changing bag next to the couch. “Go on then, Aunty Bella,” he teased. 

Bellatrix looked aghast and said, “I don’t fucking think so!”

“Bella!” Hermione gave Teddy a pointed look, but she hid a giggle behind her hand. “Little ears!”

“Oh, he’s a baby, Granger, calm down,” Bellatrix crossed her arms. 

“Actually, he’s started mimicking,” Andromeda pointed out with a lopsided grin, though she didn’t look too concerned. “If his first proper word ends up being some variation of f-u-c-k I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Bellatrix just rolled her eyes and scoffed, “You trying to tell me you don’t swear anymore, Andy?”

“I’m working on it,” Andromeda told her smugly. “You, on the other hand, talk absolve filth. You’d think you were some sort of seasoned prostitute.”

“Thanks very much,” Bellatrix said, dryer than dry, though she couldn’t really disagree with her. 

“You’re welcome,” Andromeda said with no small amount of sarcasm, then she stood and sidled around the coffee table to grab Teddy’s changing mat. “Give him here, love, and I’ll sort that nappy out. He’ll need fed soon too.”

Bellatrix looked hopeful and asked, “Are we leaving then?” 

“I can ask Kreacher to sort us out with some lunch if you fancy staying?” Harry suggested as he pulled a fresh nappy out of the changing bag. 

“I’ve suddenly lost my appetite,” Bellatrix grumbled. 

“That would be great, Harry,” Andromeda smiled, and Bellatrix gave her a long suffering look that was pointedly ignored. 

Hermione looked like she could have jumped for joy at the prospect of staying and as long as she was here, Bellatrix would be. Bellatrix knew that Harry got lonely sometimes, especially just now with his girlfriend juggling school and Quidditch, so she didn’t blame him for wanting them to stay a little longer. She was actually rather pleased he’d asked, because he’d unwittingly gave Hermione the opening she had been hoping for all morning. 

Hermione sprang to her feet and said, “Harry, I’m just going to take Bella upstairs and show her what I’ve did with the library while we wait, if you don’t mind.”

“It’s your library,” he grinned, and made a shooing motion with his hand. “Knock yourselves out.” 

Hermione gave Bellatrix a meaningful look, slipped her hand into hers, and quickly guided her from the room, but not before Bellatrix caught Andromeda’s less than furtive glance Hermione’s way. It was a look they had both become accustomed to recently and colour rose in Hermione’s face. 

It was a look that said, “I’ll cover for you, have fun.”

Then Andromeda’s dark gaze flickered to Bellatrix and Bellatrix gave her the most innocent look she could muster, before Hermione tugged her out into the hall. 

* * *

The moment they reached the first floor landing, Hermione pushed Bellatrix against the library door and kissed her. Teeth bumped and nipped as their tongues slid together, and Bellatrix felt all her worries of the day evaporate like a summer shower on a hot pavement. 

They kissed each other with the fervour of two people who had been holding theirselves at bay for too long. Hermione tangled her fingers in Bellatrix’s hair and tugged roughly, and Bellatrix dug her fingers into Hermione’s hips, pulling her impossibly closer. 

Hermione’s other hand fluttered over Bellatrix’s breasts and down, sneaking under the hem of her lacy blouse. She had been aching for Hermione to touch her since first setting eyes on her that morning and moaned when Hermione gently raked her nails down the smooth taut skin of her stomach. The sensation made her belly quiver, which seemed to please Hermione because Bellatrix felt her smile against her lips. Then Hermione eased a knee between her legs and Bellatrix couldn’t help but rock her hips and grind down. 

When the need for air finally arose, they parted, and Bellatrix let her head roll back against the door. Hermione saw her chance and immediately latched onto her neck. She bit down, hard, then used her tongue to soothe the sting. Bellatrix moaned again, louder this time, and for the first time, she realised that they were standing in the upstairs hall and it was entirely possible that Harry would hear them. Andromeda, Bellatrix knew, had heard it all before, she’d even walked in on them a few times, but right now she was the only one who was privy to all of the deliciously sinful things that went on between her and Hermione and wanted to keep it that way. 

Bellatrix was breathing fast in Hermione’s ear, her head was spinning, but she had enough cognitive function to reach clumsily for the door handle and pull them backwards into the library. The door shut with a loud thud behind them and Bellatrix curled her hand around the back of Hermione’s neck, spinning her against the wood. 

Hermione’s hand came up to cup Bellatrix’s cheek, fingers caressing her sharp jaw, and they pressed their foreheads together. The tender touch they shared made them both sigh softly, ragged breaths ghosting over kiss swollen lips, and then, after what felt like an eternity in the space of a few heartbeats, they both leaned in once more. 

They kissed again, softer this time, long and slow and deep, tongues sliding together languidly now that their initial frenzy for contact had been sated. Bellatrix pressed her hips into Hermione’s, pinning the younger witch to the door. 

“Naughty little minx,” she husked in Hermione’s ear. “You’ve been teasing me all morning.”

“You’ve got this on and I’m the one who’s been teasing you?” Hermione choked incredulously, and reached out to tug at Bellatrix’s blouse. 

The garment she wore had a lacy neckline that was low enough to just pass the point of propriety. Hermione had seen her wear it probably about a dozen or so times, but after nearly a fortnight with barely any contact, Hermione was obviously finding it extremely difficult to keep her eyes averted from the generous swell of flesh that she was now caressing. 

“Oh, is that why you’ve been wearing that pretty blush all day?” Bellatrix asked coyly as her wicked mouth sucked at the tender flesh under the hinge of Hermione’s jaw. 

“What do you think?” Hermione gasped. “I’ve barely — oh! — seen you and you’ve got me feeling all hot and bothered with your — Bella, have you forgot the rules!”

The rules being that they had both agreed not to leave any marks on each other’s body - in plain sight anyway! 

The dark witch pulled her lips away from Hermione’s neck with a wet pop and smirked at her. “You bit me too!” she reminded her. 

“I didn’t leave any marks!” Hermione retorted. 

“Well, now you have a big juicy love bite. Sorry, darling,” she smirked, not sounding sorry at all. “Wear a scarf.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Hermione groused, and fingered the moist patch of skin on her neck. She wasn’t really annoyed though, Bellatrix could tell her indignation was contrived. Then Hermione smiled fondly and said, “God, I’ve missed you, Bella.”

“I’ve missed you too, dove,” Bellatrix murmured, and Hermione’s playful amber eyes softened into an expression so tender, so affectionate, that Bellatrix nearly gasped at the feeling of warmth that bloomed in her chest. 

Hermione took a steadying breath then, and asked, “How do you feel?”

“Really fucking turned on,” Bellatrix practically purred, and leaned in again for another kiss. But Hermione pulled back and Bellatrix’s eyebrows quirked in question.

“No, I meant, how do you feel about being here? In this house?” Hermione said, tentatively. “Andy wasn’t sure how well you’d cope after—“

Bellatrix’s reaction was instant and she couldn’t help herself from slamming her palm into the door right next to Hermione’s face. The younger witch must have known immediately that she’d said the wrong thing because Bellatrix’s eyes were suddenly alight with anger. 

The way she flitted so effortlessly between flirty and ferocious always made Hermione’s heart stutter in her chest. At one time Bellatrix’s mood swings had terrified her, not now though, they hadn’t for a long time, but the abrupt change in her demeanour was alarming and more than a little disconcerting, almost as if someone had flicked a switch. Hermione pressed herself back against the door and couldn’t stop her hand from flying to her own throat in self-protection. 

“Is that why you’re here!” Bellatrix spat acidly. The rage in her eyes held all the power of Fiendfyre, Hermione could practically see the flames smouldering behind her pupils. 

She looked murderous 

“Were you that desperate to know all the sordid little details about my shitty childhood! Big bad Death Eater afraid of a bloody fucking house, is that it? Is that how you get your kicks, darling!”

Alarm bells were going off in Hermione’s head, she was completely stunned by Bellatrix’s outburst and managed a strangled, “W-what?”

“Don’t say what, it makes you sound common!” Bellatrix snapped. “What did Andromeda say! What did she tell you!”

Hermione just gawped dumbly and Bellatrix spun away from the door with a frustrated growl, putting distance between them, leaving herself feeling bereft in a way she couldn’t quite explain. The dark witch was throwing up walls in a hurry, trying to push her out, but Hermione couldn’t let her and desperately tried to pull her back in again. 

“Bella, listen...” Hermione started, finally finding her voice when she noticed Bellatrix’s fingers twitching near her belt where she knew she kept her wand.

Bellatrix had a tendency to destroy things when she was in a rage and tried to calm her racing heart with deep breaths. She couldn’t do that to Hermione, no matter how angry she was, even if she didn’t know exactly what had her so wound up. 

She was frustrated. With herself more than anything, but also with her limited ability to control her own temper. To cope with things. She felt like she had a bludger lodged in her windpipe and took a moment to try and compose herself, to remind herself that she was in control.

“Please calm down, Bella,” Hermione urged gently. 

Bellatrix glanced at her and Hermione bit her lip hesitantly when something flashed in her hard, charcoal eyes. It was gone again but a moment later. Hermione tried to catch it, like reaching desperately for an escaped balloon, until it finally dawned on her what it was. 

Hurt. 

Bellatrix looked hurt. 

And Hermione’s heart sank, torn between concern and a sudden surprising nervousness. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright today,” she said softly. “We weren’t discussing you or anything if that’s what you’re worried about, and today certainly wasn’t a...a setup or anything. Andy said she was going to try to get you to come today and I said I’d try to be here to give you some support if everything was sorted with mum and dad.”

“What did Andromeda tell you?” Bellatrix demanded, and she could feel herself withdrawing. A defensive, fearful note crept into her tone, “Did she tell you what that...that awful old bitch used to do to us?”

Hermione pushed away from the door and had to knock back the urge to wrap her arms around Bellatrix. Instead, she touched her arm and was grateful when Bellatrix didn’t pull away. 

“She told me, not in any great detail, but...” Hermione let her tone soften. “I couldn’t possibly imagine the things that happened here.”

Bellatrix made a derisive noise in the back of her throat and hugged herself, shoulders curling into a protective ball. “You don’t have the first fucking clue,” she muttered bitterly, and Hermione fought off the protective instinct to embrace her again, not wanting to spook her. “We were children. You have no idea what it was like to have to live through that. The abuse we all suffered. I can’t believe Andromeda told you! We swore we’d never — I’ve never discussed it with anyone but my sisters.”

Bellatrix flicked a quick glance at Hermione before looking away again, but not before Hermione saw the raw emotion in her dark eyes. 

“What is it that’s really bothering you, Bella?” Hermione asked, changing tact. “The horrible things your aunt did to you here? Or the fact I know all about it? Because I don’t think any less of you because of it.”

The look in Bellatrix’s eyes was so subtle, but was just enough for Hermione to recognise that she’d hit the nail on the head and had found the source of her displaced anger. 

Bellatrix felt ashamed. It was a shame that was ever present, burning so hot under her skin that she ought to turn to ashes. 

“In Azkaban,” Bellatrix said, her voice softened to barely above a whisper and she shuddered. “The Dementors...I’m sure you must know they make you relive your very worst experiences. They suck you dry of every happy memory you have, and every time they came to feed I was always brought back...here.”

“Oh, Bella,” Hermione breathed, aching for her. 

“Andy’s here all the time now that Potter’s moved in,” she went on, talking more to herself now than to Hermione, but Hermione was just glad that the fire in her eyes had dulled to a dim ember. “I don’t know how she can stand it.”

Coming back to Grimmauld Place had been difficult for Andromeda too, the first couple of visits especially. Hermione knew that for a fact, because she had been there. It was one of the most dreadful things Hermione had ever witnessed - and she had seen her fair share of dreadful things over the years - but to see Andromeda, who was like a surrogate mother to her, and who was normally so calm, so composed, break down in near hysterics and cry like a child. At first Hermione didn’t know why it was so important for Andromeda to come back to Grimmauld Place at all, until she did, and she’d told Hermione that sometimes things just had to be let go of. 

Andromeda wanted to be there for her sisters, now that they’d found one another again, but especially Bellatrix. She needed to remind her to breathe every once in a while. Because Bellatrix was the type of woman to live in her own head and drown in her own storm, and Andromeda knew she could never survive the agony if she were to lose Bellatrix to her own darkness again. So she wanted to make peace with her own demons before helping Bellatrix fight hers. 

“Andy thought it was time to let go,” Hermione finally said. “When Harry and Ginny moved in she wanted to be able to bring Teddy over without falling to pieces. She said you shouldn’t let something that’s long gone continue to control you.”

Bellatrix just scoffed and shook her head, muttering under her breath. Hermione couldn’t hear what she said, but she was just able to make out, “...thinks she’s a bloody shrink.” 

Then Bellatrix went silent, withdrawing into herself for a long moment. Just as Hermione was about to ask her if she was alright, Bellatrix spoke again. “It’s not just...Walburga,” and she spat the name like it was poison. “This house will always be a reminder of...of...”

She trailed off and walked towards the fireplace. There were several framed photographs on the mantle. Harry’s idea, he thought they would make the room look more homey. But there was only one photograph that Bellatrix was looking at, scowling really.

Sirius. 

The Christmas before he died, laughing and joking with Harry at the kitchen table over glasses of Butterbeer. 

Hermione felt tears prick her eyes and before she could stop herself, asked, “Did you hate each other that much?”

The subtle shake of Bellatrix’s head surprised Hermione as she replaced the photo. 

The killing curse was meant for Dolohov, no one would have known it was her, spells were flying everywhere, it would have been impossible to determine if it was friend or foe who had taken him down. But Dolohov moved at the very last second. The jet of green had soared over his shoulder and hit Sirius square in the chest. For weeks afterwards all Bellatrix could see whenever she closed her eyes was the look of shock on her cousins wasted face as he’d tumbled backwards through the veil. 

Bellatrix remembered seeing Andromeda in the public gallery during her trial after the War, and she couldn’t get over the way her eyes had shimmered with tears when it had came out in court that she’d been aiming for Dolohov. That it wasn’t cold blooded murder. That even then, she had been attempting to whittle away at Voldemort’s defences by subtly getting rid of his inner circle. 

“I didn’t hate him,” Bellatrix eventually murmured. “We didn’t see eye to eye on some things. Politics mostly. And, I mean, he was a bit of an arse. But I didn’t...” She sighed and turned away from the fireplace. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter.”

Hermione held out her hand and said softly, “Come here.”

Bellatrix didn’t hesitate and allowed Hermione to wrap her arms around her, pull her close. Bellatrix had never been a touchy-feely person, both physically and emotionally, but this was nice. The heaviness that had settled in her chest even before she had stepped foot into Grimmauld Place seemed to dissipate and was replaced by a pleasant fluttering feeling in her belly. She was appreciative of Hermione’s simple gesture, the feel of her body pressed tightly against hers soothed Bellatrix more than she expected. 

“He blamed me, you know?” Bellatrix murmured against Hermione’s throat. “He said I was the oldest so I should have taken better care of them. But I didn’t know how I...”

“You were just a little girl, Bella,” Hermione told her, and began to gently thread her fingers through Bellatrix’s hair. 

Andromeda told her about some of the awful things that their aunt had done to them, and how their mother had allowed it because she was terrified of Walburga Black, how their father worked away a lot and pretended to be none the wiser, but how he would collect his children from his sisters house bruised and battered and terrified, and would hold them all just a little bit tighter. 

She explained that Walburga Black was the eldest of three, and after their grandfather passed, Walburga took over as head of House Black. In their warped Pureblood society that meant that Walburga was in charge - she controlled everyone and everything, and didn’t think twice about threatening her two younger brothers and their families with banishment and bankruptcy. And the Black family matriarch was tyrannical in her efforts to make sure everyone upheld the Black family name, even if it meant beating her Pureblood values into her nieces and her sons. 

Hermione felt sick just thinking about it and it broke her heart that Bellatrix thought she should have done more to protect her sisters and her cousins, when her own mother and father couldn’t have done any better for fear of crossing Walburga Black and losing everything. 

“I took a pair of scissors to my hair when I was six,” Bellatrix told her. “Chopped it all off. If you could’ve seen Walburga’s face. She completely lost her tits. What a belting I got for that.”

Hermione’s arms tightened around Bellatrix. “Why did you cut your hair?” she asked, even though she already had a fairly good idea why and a wave of nausea overcame her at the very thought. But Bellatrix was opening up a little, so she listened. 

“So she couldn’t drag me around by it,” Bellatrix admitted softly. “She thought I did it because I was being disobedient. She told me I was ugly and that little girls weren’t supposed to have short hair.” She scoffed. “I’m pretty sure little girls weren’t supposed to have belt marks and fag burns either but...”

“Oh, Bella,” Hermione breathed. 

“Don’t pity me,” Bellatrix growled and wrenched herself out of Hermione’s embrace again. “I don’t want your pity. I’m a big girl now. If Walburga Black were to walk through that door right now I’d Avada first and ask questions later. I’d—“

“No you wouldn’t,” Hermione said simply, and Bellatrix stopped short. “You’re a better person now.”

Bellatrix didn’t look so sure. “Am I? I’ve done a lot of bad things, dove. Stupid things. Unforgivable things...”

“I know that,” Hermione said sombrely, and her eyes dropped to her left forearm where they both knew her scars were hidden under a permanent concealment charm. “But you can’t judge yourself by your past actions. Especially not when you’ve worked so hard to make amends.”

Bellatrix looked weary, her gaze guarded, and Hermione tensed, half expecting the dark witch to start building walls again. But all the tension seemed to leave her and her shoulders drooped. 

Slowly, Bellatrix lifted a hand to tuck a strand of Hermione’s hair behind her ear. Then her fingertips ghosted down the side of Hermione’s face to rest against her lips. 

“I apologise. For my reaction. I don’t do well when I feel backed into a corner and...I wasn’t ready to share. It’s just not something I want to get into. Ever. And I really don’t appreciate my sister spilling her guts about my personal life.”

Hermione was so taken aback by Bellatrix’s apology that all she could do was open and close her mouth a few times before she finally said, “You don’t need to explain yourself. I shouldn’t have brought it up the way I did. And Andy was only trying—“

“To help. I know, I know.” Bellatrix shrugged one shoulder and let her hand drop. Then she sighed wearily and said, “But you must understand, I’m...I’m easily triggered. I didn’t mean to frighten you. This house just fills me with so much...rage. The whole place just reeks of despair.” 

On impulse, Hermione reached up and gently brushed the backs of her fingers over Bellatrix’s forehead, trying to smooth out the worry lines, then she dipped her head and softly brushed their lips together in a sweet kiss. “We don’t need to talk about this again,” she told her. “But if you ever want to, I’ll listen.”

“I know you will,” Bellatrix nodded. “I really am sorry.” Then she laughed humourlessly. “I hate apologising, even when I know I’m wrong. But when I do, I honestly do mean it.”

“You don’t need to apologise, silly goose,” Hermione said, earning herself a raised eyebrow and a silent murmur of ‘silly goose’. “It’s a term of endearment,” Hermione told her. Then she remembered their earlier conversation and grinned. “Actually, there is one thing you need to apologise for.”

“Oh?” Bellatrix’s eyebrows shot up. 

Hermione slid her hands up Bellatrix’s chest to rest on her shoulders and she leaned in to whisper, “That lovely mark you left on my neck.”

Bellatrix smiled wickedly, “I told you, wear a scarf.”

Hermione shook her head and gave Bellatrix a thorough open-mouthed kiss that the dark witch returned eagerly. They stood like that for a long moment and Hermione wrapped her arms around Bellatrix, pulling her close. 

When they parted, Bellatrix looked at Hermione. Her charcoal eyes were lazy and hooded and she held her full bottom lip between her teeth. It was a look Hermione knew very well and it sent a spike of arousal shooting down her spine. 

“Luvvy, this is getting depressing. If only there was something you could do to cheer me up.” Bellatrix gave the words a sultry roll and her tongue darted out to swipe across her top lip. 

Hermione’s hands slid down Bellatrix’s back to rest on her hips, and she glanced at the clock on the mantle. “It’s nearly twelve, Harry will probably call us soon for lunch,” she lamented with a disappointed frown. 

“Andy will keep him occupied a while longer, I’m sure. Don’t make me wait,” she purred and leaned up to tug Hermione’s earlobe between her teeth. “You have twenty-five minutes to work some magic.”

Hermione seemed to contemplate this for a moment before she smirked and said, “I only need ten.”

Bellatrix smiled crookedly and hooked her fingers into the belt loops on Hermione’s jeans, tugging her backwards to one of the tall floor to ceiling bookcases along the wall. She grabbed Hermione roughly by the shoulders and spun her up against the shelves. When Bellatrix pressed the length of her body against her, Hermione cupped Bellatrix’s face in her warm palms and pulled her in for another kiss. 

One of Bellatrix’s hands danced up Hermione’s torso to gently wrap around her neck. A black painted thumb caressed the bobbing motion in her throat as she swallowed. It didn’t take long before their kissing became frenzied and Hermione started to grind their hips together. 

“I can’t believe we’re doing this in my library,” Hermione murmured as she pressed kisses to Bellatrix’s hot skin. “Against my books. It’s practically sacrilege.”

Hermione tried to sound annoyed but this was something she had been secretly fantasising about since they had first started sleeping together. 

“Are you seriously complaining?” Bellatrix panted, biting back a moan when Hermione’s clever fingers slid inside her trousers to palm her over her lacy knickers. “We haven’t fucked in a fortnight and your worried about books—“

“Shut up.”

Bellatrix’s laugh turned into a sharp gasp when Hermione’s fingers wiggled under her underwear and found her clit. She was already slick and swollen and Hermione preened inwardly with the knowledge that after all these weeks she could still garner such a response from Bellatrix. The look on Bellatrix’s face was intoxicating and Hermione wanted nothing more in that moment than to see her come undone. So she switched their positions and spun Bellatrix into the bookcase, then dropped to her knees and started to shimmy the older woman’s tight leather trousers down her toned thighs. 

Bellatrix looked down at her, surprised, and grunted a little with each sharp tug of fabric. “Oh, is this what we’re doing? If I’d known I was going to have you on your knees I would have worn something a little easier to get rid of.”

Hermione couldn’t have agreed more. “How did you even get into these in the first place.”

Bellatrix chuckled darkly and threaded her fingers through Hermione’s hair, pleased the younger witch had decided to wear it down today. “Just you concentrate on getting them off.”

Hermione struggled a bit more until she managed to pull both Bellatrix’s trousers and her knickers down. Bellatrix wasted no time in fisting her hand in Hermione’s hair and tugged her towards her aching centre.

Her next breath caught in her throat when Hermione slid her tongue over her clit. Bellatrix widened her stance as much as she was able with her trousers around her ankles and Hermione smiled against her wet folds, snaking an arm around Bellatrix’s hip to squeeze her arse and tilt her closer. Hermione was thorough but gentle and used the flat of her tongue to lap up the sweet, glistening nectar between Bellatrix’s thighs. 

When she dared a glance at the woman above her, Hermione felt a little thrill run through when Bellatrix gasped loudly. The thought of the older woman struggling to hold back her frequent and often extremely loud moaning sent desire blossoming through her core. 

She wrapped her lips around Bellatrix’s clit once more and sucked roughly to test her response. Bellatrix slapped her hand over her mouth to smother her own cry and glared down at Hermione who was now looking up at her innocently through long fluttering lashes. 

“Cow,” Bellatrix breathed with a thoroughly unamused glare and reached down to stroke her thumb over Hermione’s glistening lower lip. The younger woman just grinned playfully and slid two fingers into her without preamble, pumping in and out a few times, expertly curling her fingers before spreading Bellatrix’s wetness around her glossy clit. Bellatrix’s head fell back against the books with a dull thud. 

“Fuck. Oh, fuck,” Bellatrix whined.

Hermione thought she was beautiful like this - with her head thrown back and her lovely long neck on show. Her eyes were heavy and dark, full lips slightly parted, a lovely red blush coloured her high cheekbones, and her chest heaved with soft pants.

Hermione didn’t think she’d ever seen anything sexier. 

Bellatrix risked a glance down and her eyes widened, “Salazar’s hairy arse crack!”

Hermione had unbuttoned her jeans and had slid her hand inside her knickers to take care of her own pleasures. Bellatrix wanted to tell her to stop, that she wanted the chance to taste her too, but Hermione was working her with the utmost care, and all Bellatrix could do was fist both her hands in Hermione’s hair and grind her pelvis against her face. 

“I’m so close,” she grunted. “Faster.” Hermione obliged, flicking her tongue quickly against Bellatrix’s throbbing clit. Another moan and she panted, nearly on the verge of begging, “Harder. Hard and fast.”

Hermione set to her task, altering between hard licks and cheek hollowing sucks while she worked her own clit furiously. Bellatrix was so wet she thought she might drown. It didn’t take long for Bellatrix’s thighs to start trembling and Hermione had to press her forehead into Bellatrix’s stomach to stop her from losing her balance. 

Bellatrix was so wound up, it was all too much and not enough at the same time.

“You’re drenched,” Hermione husked between breaths and moaned around the bundle of nerves that Bellatrix’s rutting motions were straining to draw her attention to. The vibration only drove the older witch closer to the edge and Hermione felt a hand tighten in her hair as a loud, throaty moan tore from Bellatrix’s parted lips. 

Hermione stopped immediately, straining to listen over the sound of their ragged breathing to see if anyone downstairs had heard. Their eyes locked and Bellatrix pulled Hermione’s face closer to her core again. 

“Finish me,” she panted. “I’m so close. Please. Hermione, please.”

Spurred on by her first name leaving Bellatrix’s lips, Hermione plunged back in. She felt like she could live forever off nothing more than the sound of her name on Bellatrix’s tongue, and Bellatrix wasn’t even trying to be quiet anymore. If Hermione’s hands hadn’t been occupied then she probably would have cast a silencing charm, but the thrill of discovery seemed to take their arousal to new heights. 

Then, a ragged groan tore from Bellatrix’s throat as she finally, finally trembled in a quaking orgasm, rocking hard against Hermione’s mouth. 

Hermione felt Bellatrix’s legs wobble as she ground herself against Hermione’s mouth and she pressed the dark witches hips as hard as she could into the bookcase. Bellatrix released her death grip on Hermione’s hair and flung her arm back to grip at a shelf to hold herself up. 

Hermione hummed triumphantly and lessened the attention she was giving Bellatrix. Bellatrix dropped a shaky hand to Hermione’s face and cradled her cheek in her palm, brushing away a damp curl that had stuck to Hermione’s lip with her thumb. 

Hermione nuzzled Bellatrix’s hand firmly and her eyes fluttered closed, breath coming hot and hard against Bellatrix’s thigh. All Bellatrix could do was watch Hermione as her hand worked inside her jeans until she managed to catch her breath and said, “Can I—“

But she was cut off when Hermione started to lap gently at her inner thighs, pressing soft open mouthed kisses on her hot, sticky skin. Then Hermione ghosted her mouth over Bellatrix’s clit one last time and pressed a kiss to the neat thatch of glistening curls between the older witch’s trembling thighs. 

“What about...” Bellatrix tried again, but her breath was still coming in deep heaves. 

“I took care of it. I couldn’t wait,” Hermione told her with a cheeky grin and leaned back to button her jeans. 

“Oh, my fuck,” Bellatrix murmured, eyes closed, panting heavily. “God, Hermione.”

“Here, get dressed. Quick,” Hermione said, busying herself with trying to yank Bellatrix’s tight trousers back up her legs. 

Bellatrix groaned quietly and stroked Hermione’s head. Her eyes were closed now and her head was resting back against the books. “Give me a moment to recover.”

Hermione thought she could hear footsteps and glanced over her shoulder at the door. “We don’t have a moment, come on.” 

Bellatrix let out another groan and bent at the waist to tug her trousers up with a lot less difficulty than Hermione was having. Hermione stood quickly, her legs were stiff from kneeling and her knees audibly cracked in protest. Bellatrix fastened her trousers just as a knock sounded at the library door. 

“Hermione? Bella?” It was Andromeda. A pause, then, “Is it safe?”

The door creaked open before either one of them could reply and Andromeda peeked her head into the library. 

“Bloody hell, Andromeda. Open your eyes!” Bellatrix huffed. 

Andromeda cracked one eye open, then the other, and stepped fully into the room. Her gaze flitted between the two of them, then came to rest on Hermione. She pinned her with a questionable stare and asked, “Everything alright, ladies?” 

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Bellatrix replied casually. 

She knew fine well what her sister was getting at. Andromeda may have told Hermione things that Bellatrix had sworn she would never tell anyone, but she couldn’t bring herself to be mad at her sister. 

Not when Hermione had just did that to her.

Andromeda merely nodded and said, “Lunch is ready.” Then she dragged her gaze over the both of them with no subtlety whatsoever and her mouth twisted like she was trying to hold back a smile. “Or...have you already eaten?”

Hermione choked a little and wiped at her mouth self-consciously with the back of her hand.

“We’ll be down in a moment, Andy,” Bellatrix told her, trying to appear nonchalant despite the flush of colour that streaked across her face. 

“Hurry up, Kreacher’s made pasta salad,” she told them, giving them both a look that said they better not dally, else she would be back. Then she left the room, making a point to leave the door ajar. 

“Oh, my God,” Hermione groaned once Andromeda’s footsteps faded away, and she covered her face with her hands. 

“I know, right,” Bellatrix blew out a breath. “You’ve never licked me out like that before.”

“Not that!” Hermione swatted Bellatrix on the arm. “Andy!”

“Oh. She’s seen worse,” Bellatrix reminded her. “Walked in on us in the shower a while back, if you recall. Got a right eyeful that day.”

“Still!” Hermione insisted. 

“Hush, c’mere. I want to take advantage of you a moment longer.”

“You can take advantage of me anytime you want,” Hermione breathed, embarrassment forgotten in an instant, and threw her arms around Bellatrix’s neck. 

“You’ve been spending too much time with me, Granger,” Bellatrix smirked between soft kisses. 

Back to Granger, but it was said with the utmost affection. 

“Never,” Hermione said, and slid her arms around Bellatrix to knead her fingers into the small of her back. 

Bellatrix groaned against Hermione’s lips, and pulled away to drop her forehead against Hermione’s neck. Then her shoulders started to shake and it took a few moments for Hermione to realise that Bellatrix was laughing. 

Hermione frowned, suddenly feeling self conscious, and asked, “Why are you laughing?” 

“It’s just that...I’m a bit older than you, dove,” Bellatrix giggled like a schoolgirl hiding a secret but pressed a reassuring kiss to the hollow where Hermione’s neck met her collar bone. “I’m not seventeen anymore. Hell, I’m not even thirty anymore.”

Hermione’s frown only deepened and she pushed Bellatrix back by the shoulders to hold her at arms length. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I’m too old now to be fucking against anything that isn’t a bed.” Hermione’s eyes widened a little and Bellatrix’s giggles began anew. She stroked Hermione’s face reassuringly. “Don’t look so worried, I’m not getting rid of you. But shagging against doors and bookcases isn’t doing my back any favours and I think we’ve outstayed our welcome in Andy’s spare bedroom, don’t you?” Hermione just looked at her and Bellatrix sighed. “I’m asking you back to my place.”

“Your place?” Hermione parroted. 

“Yes, in Hampstead.”

“In Hampstead?”

Then Bellatrix wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and tugged Hermione close to whisper. “I have a big bed.”

“You have a big bed.”

Bellatrix’s hands dropped to her sides and she looked at Hermione in annoyance. “Is there a bloody echo in here?”

Hermione’s eyes widened even further and she asked, sounding more than a little incredulous, “Are you...asking me to come to your house now?”

“No, not now.” Bellatrix gave her an exasperated look. “Andromeda will hunt us down if we’re not downstairs in the next three seconds. But next time you fancy a bit of fun...” She trailed her fingers down Hermione’s arm again and laced their fingers together, looking hopeful. 

Hermione’s smile threatened to take up her whole face. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Come, I’ve worked up an appetite with all that exercise.”

Hermione scoffed and tugged her towards the door, “I did most of the work.”

“I did offer. But you took matters into your own hand, so to speak.”

Hermione stopped Bellatrix with a gentle hand on her forearm before they stepped out into the hall. “It’s Teddy’s birthday in a few weeks,” she said, nervousness creeping back into her tone. 

Bellatrix eyebrows drew together and she said, “I know.”

Hermione bit her lip and hesitated for only a moment before saying, “Harry’s having a party for him. Here.” Bellatrix’s nose wrinkled and Hermione just caught the brief glimmer of unease in her eyes. “I know I said I wouldn’t, but...this is the last time I’m going to bring this up. I promise. But I’d rather hoped you’d be here. It’s his first birthday after all.”

Bellatrix pressed her lips together and gave Hermione a pained look. “Granger...” she started. 

Hermione pressed on before she could finish. “You might not realise it, but you’ve already taken the first step towards healing just by being here. You can’t get rid of old memories, I know that. But maybe we could make new ones together?”

“Together?” Bellatrix repeated. 

“You and me” Hermione whispered. “Hopefully the next time you visit the first thing you’ll remember is the time I shoved you up against a bookcase.”

Bellatrix squeezed her hand and nodded. 

“You and me, dove.” Bellatrix’s breath caught a little and she looked like she wanted to say so much more, but in the end she just said, whispered really, “Thank you.”

Hermione knew she meant for everything.


End file.
